they are revealing a little bit more about pope benedict's health. they will us about that. >> reporter: we now know bill that the pope has apace maker and has had one for many years. in fact had one installed before he became pope, and then just about three months ago, bill, in the greatest of secrecy the pope left the vatican, went to a hospital, had the batteries inside that pacemaker replaced. nobody ever new anything of it outside his closes advisers inside vatican city. he never missed an appearance. again it was just a sort of routine battery change but it goes a long way to tell you how secret things are here and how much secrecy popes are given. bill: it certainly does. you have about two and a half weeks now on the calendar before he owe facially resigns the 28th of february. what are we learning about the process, or what in the world happens after that? >> reporter: well, the cardinals will all come together and select a new pope, a process which has we learned, what, eight years ago can take a matter of days or a bit longer. any number o